Author
Topic: Night Games (Read 35220 times)

"you wish me to tell you who my master is" he laughed evily "he is the great mage Tallken, you will all bow to him before the month is done, you can kill me, but i wonder wether, it would be worth the effort for what he will do to you, and all of your friends, including you little girlfriend here," he bent his head down towards kelly's, and licked along her cheek, kelly flinched as his breath blew into her face, the smell of rotten eggs came to her nose and she gagged, he spun kelly around and grabbed her upper arms, lifted her off the floor and threw her across the inn, Kelly bumped into every table in her way and hit the wall sliding down, she landed at the bottom in a crumpled heap, the man pulled out his sword and called out through his laughter, "come then and kill me!"

Zeb launched himself thru the air with a guttural growl. TallkenÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s minion swung his sword in a wide arc catching Zeb, in the shoulder at the apex of his leap. The force of the blow dropped Zeb to the ground. Three daggers flipped end over end towards the man as he leaned forward. One sliced his face open, the second buried itself to the hilt under his right collarbone and the third skipped off a rib and spun into the wood of the bar behind him. Xander rushed in behind the daggers he had hurled swinging savagely with his cleaver. The minion raised a booted foot and kicked Xander in the chest hard enough to fell a small tree. He then yanked the dagger from under his collarbone. Blood fountained upward to paint the ceiling. Xander dropped like a stone and Zeb pulled the dagger out of the bar and stabbed the minion in the torso five times before the minion backhanded him into a wall with tooth chattering impact.

Shrieking like a d**ned soul the minion hurled himself toward the far wall of the tavern with supernatural speed, hitting it about five feet above the ground and crashing thru with the crash of broken timbers and swirl of wood dust.

The vibration shook the entire tavern. Patrons, who had been previously intent on visiting mayhem on one another only moments before, fled the tavern in frenzied panic. Zeb rose from the ground and ran to the opening made by TallkenÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s minion, leaping thru into the cold night air. He pounded down the shadowy street following the trail of blood and the minions gibbering laughter. The two of them disappeared into the night.

Inside the tavern Xander slowly pulled himself to his feet, nursing his two broken ribs, ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œGates! That smarts! Kelly?ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬? He half walked half crawled over to where Kelly had fallen to see how badly she was hurtÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦

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"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

Kelly moaned and opened her eye's, blood now covered the back of her head and there were various cut's and bruises on her face, her neck hurt as the dagger had dug quite deep, but not deep enough to kill or fatally injure, she pulled herself up and held her arm as two bones stuck out off her elbow, with a painful flick of her arm the bones had disappeared, "man, that hurts" she looked at Xander "are you alright? wheres Zeb?" she looked about the now abandoned Inn, the damage was quite severe, tables had been tipped up and thrown about chairs had been broken along with glasses, there was quite a bit of blood on the floor, and now there was a gaping hole in the wall, Kelly heaved herself onto her feet staggered a bit but then straightened up and held herself steady, she took a step forward but her knees gave way and she fell to the floor with a heavy thump next to Xander "maybe i'll have a bit of a rest up first!"

Weary and bloody, Kelly wanted to do nothing else but sleep. Xander, nursing his broken ribs and bruised skull, curled up next to her, half awake. They must have fallen asleep.

Kelly felt like something was moving inside her, a strange movement within her arms and legs. It was warm and soothing and with a start she realized that it originated from the amulet she wore concealed beneath her shirt. The warmth spread to her torso and was quite pleasant. The warm feeling moved faster now, moving up to her neck and her head. The warmth moved down her back and to her legs. It felt wonderful, pleasurableÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦and then. It ended as suddenly as it had started. Kelly came back to her senses, looking down at her arm, which was healed. The other injuries she had received were healed as well. Xander was asleep with his head on her shoulder.

The amulet flared, its heat nearly burning her. ZEB was in danger! She had to find him! The amulet tugged at her leading her outside. Would she follow it urgings?

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"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

Kelly stood slowly resting Xanders head on the wall so as not to wake him, she followed the amulet as it lead her outside, it was quite chilly outside and she wrapped herself up closer to her cloak, she had to find Zeb but where had he gone, she looked in each direction before looking down at the amulet, it pulled her slightly left so she followed the way it pulled wanting to know what was wrong she began to speed up, starting to run her heart pounding against her rib cage, she needed to find Zeb and she needed to find him now.

Kelly felt the amulet lead her down the main road of the town, to the north; the magik of the amulet leading but also imparting a sense of urgency, a visceral feeling of dread. Dread of not arriving in time to aid Zeb, dread of getting there soon enough and not being able to help. How much was induced by the amulet and how much of the mounting anxiety was actually the way Kelly felt? The streets held no answer. Shadows blanketed the deserted streets as the crescent moon played hide and seek amid a bank of constantly moving clouds The urgings spurred her onward in a straight line towards the edge of the town. As Kelly came to the edge of town, the number of structures dwindled while a mist slowly rose from the ground.

The trail took Kelly straight out of town of Safeholt toward the wild wastes of GreyMoor. The buildings were left behind as Kelly entered a seemingly spectral landscape where errie twisted trees loomed out of the darkness like stark gaunt sentinels. The mist was thicker here and swirled about KellyÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s knees as she strode into the darkness. She quickly lost her bearings and without the amulet to guide her she would have not known where to go.

She sensed Zeb before she saw him; standing in the mists ahead in a grove of twisted, stunted trees. The gnarled branches grabbed and snatched at her as she drew closer to him. He had something in his left hand. Fresh blood dripped from the grisly trophy. In his other hand he held his long knife dripping with gore. The clouds shifted and the mists parted slightly. The body of TallkenÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s minion lay at ZebÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s feet minus its head.

Beyond Zeb, when the mist parted, Kelly saw three figures, about twice the size of normal men. One bore Scimitar etched with Magikal runes, another carried two wicked hooks, the third swung a large chain thru the mist; THE SEEKERS HAD RETURNED!

The one with the Scimitar was speaking, his voice a baritone rumble meshed with the cacophony of clanging bells. ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œYour highness, you know we never have meant you any harm. We merely seek to protect you from those that would use you for their own ends. You will be safe at home.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬?

ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œYouÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢ll not have me, alive or dead.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬? Zeb spat, anger contorting his features. ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œAnd tell my father IÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢m coming back to take his head!ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬? The seekers were silent at ZebÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s fury, as if expecting the heavens to part and lightning to strike. Zeb stared at them defiantly. The attack came without warning. Chain links as big around as a manÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s leg whistled through the air toward Zeb. Catlike, he hurled himself backward. Too slow. The chain caught him in the leg and knocked him end over end. He landed hard about thirty feet away. The Seeker with the hooks leapt skyward. ZebÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s eyes bulged in alarm and he rolled sideways as fast as he could. Hooks landed hard where Zeb had just been. Zeb scrambled to his feet and lunged off balance, scampering behind a tree. Hooks swung hard, hitting the tree. Chain followed up lashing out with a mighty swing. The tree snapped in half with an angry splintering rending that echoed thru the mist. Zeb ran away from the clearing, with the Seekers on his heelsÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦

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"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

Kelly gasped and ran after them, what she was going to do she didn't know but she couldn't let Zeb die, she ran as fast as she could trying to catch up with the seekers, as she ran she bent low and retrieved a stone, she saw one at last a seeker, she pulled back her arm and let the stone fly out of her hand, it flew through the air with a whistle and thumped one of the seekers hard on the back of the head "hey you, ugly over here" she stood there watching as the seeker stopped and turned back to look at her, Kelly began to jump up and down waving her hands over her head "come on come on follow me follow me" she thought to herself as the seeker turned right round so that his whole body faced her.

Two of the seekers turned towards Kelly jumping at her with speed that belied their bulk. She didnÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t see the chain whipping in serpentine fashion thru the trees until a link glowing green with eldritch energy hit her in the chest. A flash filled her vision as she was flung backward there was an explosion as five of the think links, each as thick as a manÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s leg burst asunder. The shock traveled back along the length of the chain and up the SeekerÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s arm blasting into his chest and bursting itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s vile heart. Black ichor spewed forth from its mouth as it was flung backwards through the trees; itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s dying scream a knell of death that could be heard for miles. Kelly was flung backwards passing four trees in a series of near misses that would have slain her had she hit tree instead of snow.

Her world went black.

She didnÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t know how long she slept. She woke to see XanderÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s concerned face looming over her. The wan light of the sun was attempting to pierce the midmorning mist.

ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œHey missy, thought you were done for, wot? Sent a chill to me bones. Thought you were mashed up rightly. What happened?ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬?ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦

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"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

Kelly looked startled, "i.i.i don't know" she stammered looking around, "wheres Zeb?" she retorted to his question with a mad look in her eye's, "Xander where is Zeb?" she stood up, almost to fast and tittered for a bit before leaning against the tree, "are you alright?" she asked balancing herself, "all i know is that something happened something killed or blew away one of them seeker thing's" she cried out so suddenly she suprised herself, she shook her head, not knowing what to think what to say anymore and then it came to her "We have to find Zeb i think those seekers are still after him" she took a few steps forward and fell.

Kelly was moving when she woke up. ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œWake up Missy.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬? Xander looked down concern written on his face. They were on a simple wagon bouncing along a frozen rutted trail deep within GreyMoor. The wagon rumbled to a halt as she regained consciousness. ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œOur ride ends here. You slept long enough.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬? The wagon driver was a small man bundled in thick furs. His face looked kindly at Kelly barely perceivable in the dayÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s fading light. The wagon had stopped at the head of a narrow path choked with weeds that struggled to poke their heads above the surface of the snow. The woods about this area had a sinister cast to them and as the path ran away from the main trail it grew darker and the evil about the place became nearly tangible.

Xander and Holly watched as the wagon rumbled off into the fog. Their breath sparkled frostily as the sun set. ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œWell lass,ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬? Xander said, ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œThis trail leads to your UncleÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s valley.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬? He looked warily and the tangled vegetation bordering the path. ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œI think you should lead the way.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬?ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦

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"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

Kelly smiled lightly still a bit dizzy from the fall, she began to walk along the path, stumbling a bit over an overgrown weed, but righting herself instantly, she blinked and said lightly into the cold "we have only a days walk to go, it's not far until we get to the cave that we need to walk through" she looked behind her and smiled at Xander, but in her mind she wondered where was Zeb.

A day went past slowly nothing happened not really. no one really spoke. they were both to bruised and battered from the events which happened earily that week. Kelly suddenly stopped and looked around the clearing, "were close" she said quietly walking forward again. they arrived in a small clearing but apart from the way they came in there was no where else to go. Kelly looked around the clearing and then walked to one side of the entrance. she pulled out one of her small daggers and began to hack at the weeds now growing on the wall behind. Each time she struck the wall a nasty screeching noise filled the clearing making Kelly's spine tingle. gradually the vines and weeds began to dissapper and gradually a large cave entrance appered. Kelly smiled slightly. now was the time to ask Xander a few things "Xander i want you to answer me do you know where Zeb is?" she looked at him sternly and waited for his answer.

"Missy," Xander began with a grin, "Wot's with the stern looks?" He lit a torch. "There's more than meets the eye wit' Zeb an' am sure you know by now there's more than meets the eye with me." He stepped towards the darkness, nose wrinkling at the charnel house reek that came from within. "We've a reckoning to meet." He looked resigned, "We've been a good team so far but the time will come when we have to part ways. 'Tis my hope that, when that time comes, you'll come with me." He motioned towards the cave's dark maw with the pitch covered torch. "This is your Uncle's place, ladies first."...

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"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

Kelly looked into the tunnel and walked forward. "It's a three hour walk from here and it might be dangerous so if i was you i would keep your weapon close by." she drew her own sword and held it at her side in a tight grip. Kelly lifted her hand up into the air and a small ball of light appeared just above her palm. she smiled lightly and dropped her hand by her side she walked forward and the ball of light followed by her side. "And if you havent noticed there's more than meets the eye to me as well. She moved her hair out of her face and her red eye flashed violently.

The tunnel twisted onward into the darkness like a living thing. Xander's flickering torch threw capering shadows on the roughly hewn walls. The floor however was worn smooth by the passing of many feet. The air was heavy as they descended into the gloom. They came to a reflecting pool. The torch Xander held aloft was reflected in it and the pool began to glow. There were two doors to either side of the pool. The portals were twice the height of a man and constructed of stout, dark wood.

Xander and Kelly stopped at the pool's edge. A voice emanated from the pool. "In order to pass you must pay tribute or answer the riddle. Choose one."...

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"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

kelly looked into the pool and said loudly "we choose the riddle" she looked at Xander and smiled lightly. she pushed her hair out of her face and looked deeply into the pool. it shimered brightly even though there wasn't much light in there. The pool filled Kelly's heart with a warm thought. she awaited the riddle. She kneeled down by the pool and touched the water. The water instantly turned blood red and flew into the air. there stood a tall water woman, she was dressed in only two shells to cover her breasts and another to cover her lower part. Her long flowing hair was aqua blue but her skin was a dark red. The red water covered her feet in a high wave. Kelly went down on one knee and pulled Xander down with her "your higness" Kelly said proudly "we come to pass to go to my uncles" the lady looked at Kelly and nodded "then you must answer the riddle" came her soft bubbly voice, "and only if you answer it right will you get through if you answer wrongly then you shall stay here with me forever. i wish to ask the riddle to the boy" kelly looked surprised and looked quickly at Xander nodding her head "here is your riddle think long and hard before answering 'All about, but cannot be seen,Can be captured, cannot be held,No throat, but can be heard.what am i?'answer well young one or stay here all eternity" Holly looked sharply at Xander and waited for him to answer.

Xander looked at the water woman with a lecherous eye. "Missy, I've never done it with a Red girl before. I bet you'd get my blood boiling, wot? I'd take you to my place on the mountain and we could do lotsa things. Mind ya it's a bit windy and you'd have to wear more'n those shells. We would'na want the WIND to be blowin' them off eh?"...

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"Pain can be your greatest ally, from pain you can learn to apply it, endure it and avoid it. Without pain there is no understanding of reality. If you never get hit with the things you strike out with every thing you know is pure fiction."

"is that your answer" called the water maidan "is your answer wind?" she cocked her head to the side and moved a hand in front of her face "you have answered correctly. Now pass through the left of the portal's it will take you on to the tunnel you need but be careful there are more than riddles in the darkness of the world" as she said this the water became blue and she sank into the depths like a godess sinking in sinking sand. The water splashed against the wall of the pool and then calmed down again. Kelly turned to Xander and smiled "your smarter than i thought" she said flicking her hair out of her eye's and turning and taking the left portal. A sharp pull on her arm and she was through standing in a dark tunnel. A strong gust of wind came from one end of the tunnel and Kelly shivered and waited for Xander to come through as well.